Leather-loop-pressing machine.



No. 643,316. Patentedfeb. 13, I900. S. B. BEASECKER. LEATHER LOOP PBESSING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 22, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 $heats-5heut l.

W 1 [0c ssc s g eglor 1 y J11 aw PATENT SYLVESTER B. BEASECKER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK E. BROWN AND JOHN SEHLER, OF SAME PLACE.

LEATHER-LOOP- -PRESSING MACHINE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,316, dated February 13, 1900.. Application filed July 22, 1899. Serial No. 724,820. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER 13. BEA-- SECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have inventeda new and useful Leather Pressing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in leather-pressing machines adapted for press ing and shaping harness box-loops, for press ing together layers of leather and the points or overlapping portions of leather layers, for embossing leather, and for pressing and holding together a bridle cheek-strap while its parts are being united by tacking or nailing in the course of its manufacture.

Although my press is especially adapted for a variety of purposes in working leather, it is to be understood that the press may be used to good advantage for stamping leather, paper, and other materials by the aid of dies to produce articles of dilterent kinds for use in the various arts, and the press may also be used for punching holes in leather, as well as for a variety of other purposes.

The primary object of'the invention is to provide a comparatively simple press consisting of few working parts arranged for convenient adjustment and manipulation by hand or power and adapted to exert great force or pressure on the work.

A further object of the invention is to increase the capacity of the press by the provision of devices which may be used to apply pressure in a vertical direction to the work in any one of a series of molds o'r formers.

The principle of my invention contemplates the employment of toggle connections between a reciprocating pressure-head and a lever or treadle,whereby very greatly increased pressure may be exerted by the head against the work, in proportion to the power expended against the lever on treadle.

The invention consists in the combination of a bed-plate having a rigid former-jaw, a pressure-head arranged for adjustment toward or from the fixed jaw, a lever or treadle, and toggle-levers connected with the bedplate and the pressure-head and having operative connections with the first-mentioned levcr or treadle.

The invention further consists in the combination,with two or more formers, of a horizontally-adjustable carrier and a screw-operated pressure device mounted on the carrier to be presented therebyin operative relation to either of said formers.

The invention further consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

' To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leatherpress constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken longitudinally through the press, illustrating a box-loop clamped in one mold or former and with the other mold or former opened to receive the work, with the verticalpressure devices suspended over the open former. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of the vertical-pressure devices, the plane of section being indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of one of the toggle devices and a horizontally-reciprocating pressure-head adapted to coact with the fixed former-jaw of the bedplate. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the hori zontally-adj ustable carrier by which the ver-' tical-pressu re devices may be shifted from one former to another. Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2, but on a reduced scale, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, by which the screw of the verticalpressure device may be operated by power.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

1 designates a suitable table, which is erected on the legs 2, that support the table at a height convenient to the operator. Any suitable means for supporting the operative elements of the press may be adopted.

3 designates a bed-plate which is cast in a single piece of metal and is formed with the desired number of jaws, according to the capacity of the press. In the embodiment of invention represented by the drawings the bed-plate is shown of rectangular form, with the former-jaws 4 5 at opposite ends thereof; but it is to be understood that the bed-plate may be constructed with three, four, or more jaws if a press of large capacity is desired. The bed-plate is formed with thickened portions 6 adjacent to the former-jaws 4 5, and at the central portion of this bed-plate is formed the fixed abutments or plates 7, which serve to pivotally connect the toggle-levers that actuate the horizontal pressure-heads toward or from the former-jaws 4 5.

8 designates a horizontally-slidable pressure-head which is loosely fitted on the thick;

ened plates 6, adjacent to the former-jaw 4, and a similarpressurehead 9 is slidably fitted on the other thickened plate 6 for movement toward or from the other former-jaw 5, as clearly represented by Figs. 1 and 2. Each pressure-head is actuated or controlled by a toggle mechanism which is independent of the other pressure-head, and in the drawings the toggle mechanism which actuates the pressure-head 8 is indicated generically by the reference-numeral 10, while the toggle mechanism for the pressure-head 9 is indicated at 11. In Fig. 4 of the drawings a detail of the toggle mechanism and one pressure-head is given, by reference to which it will be seen that each toggle device consists of the levers 12 13 and the cross-bolt 17. The levers 12 are pivoted at 14 between ears 15, which are formed on the rear or neutral face of the pressure-head. The levers 13 are pivoted at 16 to the plates or abutments 7, and the opposite ends of said levers are forked or bifurcated to receive the adjacent ends of the levers 12. Through these forked and adjacent levers 13 is passed a pivotal bolt 17, which connects the levers loosely together, so that the toggle may bend or flex a limited distance, and this pivotal bolt is operatively connected with a foot treadle or lever 18, which is arranged below the table in a position convenient for the operator. This foot treadle or lever is fulcrumed, as at 19, and a strap 20 has its lower end connected to said foot treadle or lever at a point intermediate of the length of the lever. The upper end of the connecting-strap 20 is detachably fitted in a loop or eye 21 of a vertical connecting-rod 22, and the upper end of this rod is threaded at 23 for the purpose of rigidly attaching said rod to a pivotal block 24, which is mounted on or attached to the pivotal cross-bolt 17. \Vhen pressure is removed from thisfoot treadle or lever, the toggle is free to break in an upward direction and allow the pressure-head to be moved away from the former-jaw, thus opening the former for the introduction of the work between the pressure-head and the jaw, which collectively constitute the former or mold in which the work is subjected to pressure. After the work has been properly adjusted between the jaw and the pressure-head the treadle or lever is depressed by applying pressure thereto, so as to draw the strap and connecting-rod downwardly and strain the pivotal bolt to bring the levers 12 13 into horizontalalinement. Asthetoggle-jointformed by the levers 12 13 is pivoted at one end to a fixed abutment on the bed-plate and at its other end to the slidable pressure-head, the operation of straightening the toggle-joint forces the pressure-head toward the fixed jaw, whereby the work is subjected to pressure in a horizontal direction between said head and jaw. The strain from the lever being exerted centrally on the toggle-joint, the members thereof are locked when alined horizontally, as represented by Fig. 2, and the work may thus be subjected to pressure in the former or mold for any desired length of time.

In the drawings I have represented a single lever or treadle which is connected detachably by a strap to a connecting link or rod that actuates the toggle-joint for one pressure-head. It is evident that the strap 20 may be disconnected from one toggle-joint after the latter has been adjusted to place the work in one former under pressure, and said strap may then be connected to the connecting-rod of the other toggle-joint. I do not, however, confine myself to the employment of one treadle-lever and connectingstrap, as it is evident that these parts may be duplicated for use in connection with one of the toggle-joints.

The press represented by Figs. 1 and 2 is especially designed for pressing and shaping box-loops of harness, and in the left-hand former or mold of said figures of the drawings abox-loop is represented as clamped between the former-jaw 4 and the pressurehead 8. It is desirable in some instances to ornament or emboss the box-loop, and under these conditions I employ a removable platen or die 25, which is interposed between the work and the pressure-head, so as to have the working face of said platen presented to the work. The platen may readily be removed from the former or inserted therein, so that patterns of different designs may be employed in the press, and this platen may also be used on other kinds of work than box-loops, as will be readily understood.

I have constructed my improved press with means by which vertical pressure may be applied to the work in either former or mold, and said vertical-pressure device is adjustable in a horizontal direction for presentation to either former or mold in operative relation thereto. In carrying into practice this part of my invention a vertical column or post 26 is provided on the bed-plate 3 at a point equidistant from the former-jaws of said plate. This column or post is secured rigidly to the bed-plate, and its upper extremity is reduced to form a pivot 27, which receives a horizontally-adjustable carrier that is loosely fitted on said tenon or pivot 27 to turn or rotate thereon. This carrier is confined in place by a washer 28, which is loosely fitted on the pivot 27, so as to engage with the carrier, and

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the washer is prevented from displacement by check-nuts 29, screwed on the upper extremity of the column-pivot 27.

The horizontal carrier, or head is designated in its entirety by the numeral 30, the same being shown more clearly by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the drawings. This carrier or head is cast in a single piece of metal, the same consisting of the side bars 31 and the bridge-bars 32 33, said bridge-bars connecting the side bars and spaced parallel to each other. The bridge-bar 32 is provided with a central aperture 34, adapted to loosely receive the pivotal tenon 27 on the upper extremity of the fixed column or post. The bridge-bar 33 sustains an internally-threaded sleeve or nut 35, the same being either integral with the head or carrier 30 or secured firmly to the bridge-bar 33 thereof. This sleeve occupies a vertical position centrally on the bridge-bar 33 of the carrier or head. In the sleeve is fitted a vertical-pressu re screw 36,which extends through the sleeve for its ends to be exposed above and below the carrier or head. On the upper extremity of this vertical screw is fitted a horizontal handle-bar 37, which is secured in place removably by any suitable means. The carrier or head 30, in connection with the vertical screw 36, supports the verticallymovable pressure-head 38, the latter being arranged in a horizontal position below the head and parallel therewith, so as to be me sented in operative relation to either of the formers or molds on the bed of the press. This pressure-head 38 has fastened rigidly thereto the guide-pins or stems 39, located on the opposite sides of the screw 36 and extended upwardly from said head. The guidepins are fitted loosely in apertures 40, provided in the cross-bar 33 of the carrier or head, said stems or pins adapted to slide vertically through said head 30 for holding the pressurehead 38 in a horizontal position at all points of its adjustment or travel under the manipulation of the screw 36. The screw 36 has its lower end suitably connected with the pressure-head 38as, for instance, by a swivel-joint. Said sorewhas threaded engagement, through the medium of the sleeve or nut 35, with the carrier or head and a swiveled or loose engagement with the pressure head, whereby rotation of the screw in one direction operates to depress the head 38 upon the work confined in the formers or molds. The carrier or head 30 is adapted to be turned on the fixed column or standard, and in this adjustment of the head the screw and the pressure-head move or travel therewith. At the same time the pressure-head is capable of a vertical movement independently of the carrier 30 under the action of the screw 36, and said pressure-head is held or confined slidably in proper relation to the carrier by the guide-pins or stems.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the carrier 30 may be swung on the post to a position where the pressure-head38 lies immediately over the work in the formers or molds, and by operating the screw 36 the pressure-head 38 may be forced with great pressure upon the work in said former or mold.

When the carrier and the vertical pressure devices are in operative relation to the work, the carrier may be held in its adjusted position by suitable clamping devices. This clamping device for holding the carrier in proper relation to each former or mold is preferably embodied in the form of a yoke 41, one of which is provided for each former or mold. Each clamping-yoke is pivoted at one end to the bed-plate, adjacent to the fixed formerjaw 4 or 5, by a pivotal bolt 41. When lowered, said clamping-yoke is adapted to fit in slots or kerfs 42 in the table, thus disposing the yoke entirely out of the way of the carrier and the verticalpressure device. The bight or closed end of the yoke is arranged to engage when said yoke is turned to its raised position with a toe-piece 43, which is rigidly fastened by a bolt 44 to the bridgebar 33 of the carrier, said toe-piece extending beyond the carrier a suitable distance for proper engagement with the clamping-yoke. As this clam ping-yoke is connected pivotally with the bed-plate, it is adapted to have a wedging engagement with the toe-piece of the carrier in order that the yoke may firmly hold the carrier in position and prevent the latter from turning on its pivotal connection with the post or column.

As hereinbefore described, the press of my invention is adapted to have the verticallyadjustable pressure-head 38 and the screw 36 operated by hand-power; but in Fig. 6 of the drawings I have illustrated a power mechanism for the operation of the vertical screw and the pressure-head 38. This power mechanism does not require any of the operating parts of the press to be changed, except the omission of the handle-bar 37, and in its generic aspect the power mechanism includes a shaft which is carried by the horizontally-adj ustable carrier or head 30, said shaft having gear connections with the vertical pressurescrew and adapted to be driven by power from a suitable source. In the preferred construction by which power may be transmitted to the vertical pressure-screw itis my practice to make the standard or column tubular, as at 45 in Fig. 6; but the upper extremity of this tubular column is reduced to provide the pivotal tenon 27, on which is loosely fitted the apertured bridge-bar of the adjustable carrier or head 30. The vertical pressure-screw 36 has the threaded engagement by the nut 35 with the bridge-bar 33 of the carrier or head; but in lieu of the handle-bar I employ a bevel-gear 46, the latter having a spline or feather engagement at 47 with said pressurescrew. A short horizontal shaft 48 is mounted in a bearing 49, the latter being fixed to the carrier or head 30, and one end of this shaft supports a bevel-gear 50, which intermeshes with the bevel-gear 46 to drive the pressure-screw 36 for the operation of the pressure-head 38. A vertical shaft 51 passes loosely through the hollow column 46, the said shaft finding suitable bearings 52. On the upper end of this vertical shaft is a bevelgear 53, which intermeshes directly with the bevel-gear 54 on the short shaft 48. As one means for driving the vertical shaft 51 I have illustrated a belt-pulley 55, adapted to be driven by a belt 56 from a suitable line-shaft; but it is evident that other mechanical devices may be employed for the operation of the shaft 51.

Although I have shown and described the former-jaws 4 5 as fast to the bed-plate, I reserve the right to make these jaws adjustable on said bed-plate in directions parallel to the movable pressure-jaws, whereby the space between each pair of coacting jaws may be widened or contracted to accommodate work of difierent sizes. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that each former-jaw 4 or 5 is provided at its ends with flanges 57, in which flanges are produced the slots 58, adapted to receive the bolts 59, which fasten the jaw firmly to the bed. It is evident that the bolts in the flanges of each jaw may be released for moving the jaw horizontally toward or from the movable pressure-jaw to vary the mold space between the pair of coactin g jaws, after which the bolts 59 should be tightened to hold the stationary formerjaw immovably in place.

In operating the machine the toggle-lever mechanism 10 or 11 is adjusted to retract the movable pressure-head 8 or 9 away from the fixed jaw 4 or 5, and the work having been prepared it is fitted with or without the embossing-plate between one of the former-jaws and one of the horizontal pressure-heads. The work having been adjusted between the jaw 4 and the horizontal head 8, the treadle or lever is depressed to straighten the toggle mechanism 10 and force the head 8 against the work to subject the latter to pressure between the jaw 4 and the head 8. If desired, the carrier 30 may be adjusted on the post or column to bring the pressure-head 38 over the work between the parts 4 8, after which the clamping-yoke 41 is adjusted to engage with the toe-piece in order to confine the carrier against movement on the column. The vertical screw 36 may now be rotated to depress the vertical pressure-head 38 to apply pressure in a Vertical direction upon the work. Another piece of work may be placed between the jaw 5 and the horizontal head 9, after which the toggle mechanism 11 should be straightened either by connection with the treadle-lever 18 or by connecting the said toggle mechanism 11 with another lever provided especially for its operation. The carrier may now be adjusted over the work between the parts 5 9, and the operation of confining the carrier in place and of adjusting the vertical pressure-head 38 may be repeated. Itwill be understood that it is not necessary in some kinds of work to employ the vertical pressurehead 38 for subjecting the work in the former or mold to vertical pressure.

As before stated, my improved pressingmachine may be used to good advantage in performing work of different kinds on different classes of leather goods, and the press may also be used for useful work on paper or paper-board and other materials. A die or dies for embossing, stamping, cutting, puncturing, or shaping leather or other materials may be fitted in the molds or formers; but as these devices are well known to those skilled in the art I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the same, the platen 25 being merely an example of one adaptation of this part of the invention.

Changes may be made in the form of some of the parts while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention embodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In aharness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers or molds arranged in the same plane on said bed, each having its members arranged to exert pressure horizontally on the work, and said members spaced to expose the upper side of the work, a shiftable carrier arranged above the bed, and a pressure mechanism supported by the carrier and having a vertically-movable pressure-head which conforms to the open space between the members of each former or mold, said pressure-head adapted to be presented in operative relation to the work in either of the formers or molds, substantially as described.

2. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers supported by said bed in the same horizontal plane thereon and each former having its members arranged to exert pressure horizontally on the work, and said parts spaced to expose the u pper side of the work therebetween, a horizontally-adjustable carrier supported over the bed and shiftable over either of the formers, a vertically-movable pressure-head slidably connected with the carrier and shiftable therewith over the formers, said pressure-head conforming to the space between the members of the former and a pressure-screw having a threaded engagement with said carrier and connected with the pressure-head to actuate the latter, said pressure-head and the screw being supported wholly by the carrier, substantially as described.

3. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers supported on the bed and each having a fixed jaw and a slidable pressure-head, each former having its members arranged to exert pressure horizontally on the interposed work, and said members spaced to expose the upper side of the work, a shiftable carrier supported above the bed and adjustable over either former, a vertically-adjustable pressure-head connect ed slidably with and supported wholly by said carrier, said pressure-head conforming to the space between the members of the former, and a pressure-screw having threaded engageme'nt with the carrier and connected operatively with the pressurehead, substan tially as described.

4. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers supported thereon, each former having its members spaced to expose the upper side of the work, a carrier pivotally supported at a point equidistant from said formers and arranged to swing in a horizontal plane over the bed and the formers thereon, a vertically-acting pres sure-head conforming to the space between the members of each former and mounted on the carrier for presentation thereby to either of said formers, and locking-yokes pivoted to the bed for adjustment into engagement with the carrier, substantially as described.

5. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed-plate, a series of formers having fixed and movable members on said bedplate, each former having its members arranged to exert pressure horizontally on the work and spaced to expose the upper side thereof, means for applying pressure horizontally to the movable members of said formers, a fixed column or post situated equidistant from the formers, a horizontally-swinging carrier pivoted on said post and adapted to be adjusted over either of the formers, and avertically-actuated pressure-head supported by the carrier and shiftable therewith for presentation to either of the formers, said pressure-head conforming to the opening or space between the members of the former and actuated independently of the movable member of either former, substantially as described.

6. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers supported thereby for exerting pressure horizontally on the work and each having its members arranged to expose the upper side thereof, a carrier adjustable over either former, a vertically-movable pressure-head corresponding to the space between the former members and provided with the guide pins or stems, said head being supported wholly by the carrier to lie parallel with the former to which said pressure-head may be presented by the carrier, and a pressure-screw mounted in the carrier and connected with the pressure-head, substantially as described.

7. In a harness-press, the combination of a bed-plate, a former thereon having spaced members, a carrier having a pressure device, and a clamping-yoke pivoted on the bedplate and arranged to engage with the carrier to confine the latter firmlyin place whereby thecarrier is held by the yoke to present the pressure device in the vertical plane of the space between the members of the former and is shiftable with the carrier out of operative relation to the former, substantially as described.

. 8. In a harness-press, the combination of a bed, aseries of spaced formers thereon each having jaws forming an intermediate upwardly-opening mold-cavity, a carrier shiftable over the formers, a vertically-shiftable pressure mechanism supported by said carrier and having a pressure-head which is pre' sentable to the mold-cavity of either of said formers by shiftable adjustment of the carrier, and means for locking the carrier in the adjusted position thereof over either of said formers, substantially as described.

9. In a harness-press, the combination of a bed, a series of spaced formers thereon each having jaws forming an intermediate upwardly-opening mold-cavity, a carrier shiftable over the formers, a vertically-shiftable pressure mechanism supported by said car rier and having a pressure-head which is presentable tothe mold-cavity of either of said formers by shiftable adjustment of the carrier, a series of yokes pivoted to the bed at points adjacent to the formers thereon and movable individually on horizontal axes upward toward the carrier, and a toe-piece fast with said carrier in position for engagement by either of the yokes, substantially as described.

10. In a harness-press, the combination of a bed, a series of spaced formers thereon each having jaws forming an intermediate upwardly-opening mold-cavity, a column or post, a shaft extending therethrough, a shiftable carrier mounted on the post and capable of turning thereon to occupy a position over either of said formers, a vertically-acting pressure mechanism supported by the carrier and having a pressure-head presentable to the mold-cavity of either former, a screw engaging with said pressurehead, and another shaft journaled on the carrier to be shiftable therewith and geared to the firstnamed shaft and the screw, substantially as described.

11. In a harness-press, the combination of a bed, a series of spaced formers thereon each having jaws forming an intermediate upwardly-opening mold-cavity, a carrier shiftable over the formers, a vertically-shiftable pressure mechanism supported by said carrier and having a pressure-head which is presentable to the mold-cavity of either of said formers by shiftable adjustment of the carrier, a screw connected to the pressure-head, a shaft geared to said screw and capable of moving the latter and actuating the pressurehead in either of the adjusted positions of the carrier, and means for locking the carrier in either of its adjusted positions over said formers, substantially as described.

12. In a harness-press, the combination of a stationary bed, a series of formers, a hollow column or post, a horizontally-adjustable carrier pivotally mounted on the column or post and adapted to be moved over either of said formers, a pressure-head connected with said carrier, a vertical screw mounted in the carrier and a driving-shaft journaled on said carrier and having gear connections with said screw, substantially as described.

13. In a harness-press, the combination of .a stationary bed, a series of formers, a tubular column, a driving-shaft passingthrough said column, a carrier mounted loosely on the column and movable in a horizontal plane over either of said formers, a vertical pressure- 

